Guardian Angel
by pumpkinnubbin
Summary: Kate meets and old contact who threatens her as she owes him money. Magnus decides to help her with the matter without letting her know. Not as angsty as it should be.


**_Kate's old contact finds and threatens her – she owes him money. Magnus notices something is wrong; helps her without her knowing. Angst._**

* * *

Just as Kate had left the bar she had been in for the night, she got pushed into an alley and against the next best wall violently. Before she even had the time to process what was going on or fight whoever it was off, her wrists got pinned above her head and she couldn't move any more.

"Kate, Kate, Kate..." The young man said, shaking his head and looking her up and down, "You're hard to get a hold of these days."

She cursed quietly, hating how she didn't have her gun with her and that she was trapped by one of her old contacts. Jake. He had been a regular pain in the ass from the very first day on but he had been good and helpful so she had ignored the rest. After all, she had always gotten what she had wanted and needed.

"Jake? What the hell do you want?!" She asked, trying to get free.

"I was looking for you. You owe me money, Kate, with interest."

"Bullshit."

"10.000, Kate, and I want it within the next three days. Shouldn't be much of a problem, right? I heard you're pretty safe with your finances at the Sanctuary. You know where I am and you know what I'll do to you if I don't get my money. You have three days. After that, I will make you regret ever having met me. You got that?"

She glared at him when he let her go, rubbing her wrists absently. This was bad. He disappeared once she had agreed and she closed her eyes. Crap. She didn't have that much money and she didn't want to ask Magnus for it either. This was her business and she'd deal with it somehow. Kate hit the wall angrily, ignoring the pain that shot through her hand before she stomped off, heading back to the Sanctuary and hoping to God not to meet anyone.

* * *

Unfortunately, she didn't have as much luck as she ran straight into Magnus in the foyer. The older woman frowned when she noticed her expression and bruised hand.

"Kate? What happened? Is everything alright?" She asked, worried.

Kate nodded, not bothering to pull back her hand when Helen grabbed it to take a look at it, inspecting the damage.

"Let's get you to the infirmary first."

"I'm fine, Doc. It's not broken or anything. I just wanna go to bed."

"After I took care of that. What happened?"

"Barfight.." Kate lied and they made their way to the infirmary together.

Helen watched her, knowing there was more to it then that but she it drop for now. Kate could be more than stubborn when she wanted to be and if she decided to close up about this, she wouldn't lose a word about anything. No use in trying.

They reached their goal and Kate sat down on one of the beds while Magnus went to get everything she'd need to treat the injury. She was back a minute later and started working, the younger woman strangely quiet and it only added to her worry. It was never a good sign for Kate to be this calm and silent. Kate only snapped out of it when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and she fished it out, reading the message she had just gotten and her expression darkened further. Damnit.

"Kate?"

"It's nothing. We done here?" She asked shortly, trying not to sound rude.

"Yes." Helen nodded, securing the tape around Kate's hand before she hopped off of the bed.

"Thanks.." She smiled briefly, rushing off the next moment.

She didn't realize that she had forgotten her phone though and Helen only noticed when she turned back to put everything away. She hated snooping and it was completely and utterly against her privacy policy but rules were there to be broken and the worry overruled the rest entirely. Before she knew what she was doing, she had taken the phone and read the text, frowning. That certainly explained the mood. She memorized the number it had come from before heading after Kate.

"Kate! You forgot your phone." She shouted once she had caught up with her.

"Oh... Thanks."

Kate took it back, walking to her room a second later and leaving Magnus behind once more. Helen knew she should let Kate handle the issue by herself but she decided to take matters into her own hands. She seemed to need the help whether she'd admit to it or not. She left for her office, wanting to run the number to get a name.

* * *

Kate flopped down on her bed in the meantime, grumpy and wanting to sleep. She had to think of a way to pay that godforsaken debt but nothing came to mind and her hand was hurting. There were a couple of bruises showing up on her wrists from Jake's tight grip earlier and the sight made her angry. She cussed, grabbing the remote and throwing it across the room before rolling over and hoping to find some rest. She'd think of something tomorrow.

* * *

Magnus got lucky, finding a name to the number rather quickly and she called the man shortly. There was no need to wait to discuss business and she needed to act as fast as possible. The phone rang a couple of times before someone picked up.

"Jake, right? We need to talk."

"Who are you?"

"That doesn't matter. I have a proposal for you."

There was a brief pause on the other end before Jake answered again.

"I'm listening."

"I heard Miss Freelander owes you money. I'd like to pay it off."

"Why would you do that?"

"Personal reasons. Will you take it or not?"

"I want another thousand for safety reasons. Meet me tomorrow around 11am at the pub downtown. If not, Kate will pay." He stated, hanging up again.

Helen hung up as well, putting her phone aside and sighing, relieved before she made her way to her room. One thousand more or less wouldn't make a lot of difference to her.

* * *

Kate woke up late the next morning, surprised they had let her sleep in. Her hand hurt and it took her a moment to recall what had happened the previous night. Jake. She checked her phone but there was nothing new from him and she found herself more than glad. Kate got up and around for breakfast, wandering through the hallways once she was done and confused when she didn't find Magnus anywhere.

She ran into Will a while later and he smiled at her brightly.

"Hey, have you seen Magnus anywhere?"

"Yeah, she left a while ago."

"Any idea where to?"

"No, sorry. Are you okay? You seem a little out of it.. and.. you're injured?"

"Ah, that?" She asked, lifting her hand and shaking her head, "'s nothing. I'm okay."

"Alright..."

Kate gave him a smile and passed him, waning to talk to Magnus. She waited in the foyer, thinking about what she could do about Jake.

* * *

In the meantime, Helen was meeting up with that Jake person at the pub, standing in front of it and waiting when a young man walked over to her.

"You're the one that called me?" He asked when he was close enough to take a good look at her.

"Yes. Jake, I assume?"

"Yeah. Where's my money?" He asked quickly.

"Right here. 11.000 Dollar. Just as requested." Helen said, getting the envelope with the money out of her pocket.

He chuckled, taking it and counting the bills.

"It's been a pleasure doing business with you, lady."

"Let this be our first and last time. I don't wish to hear from you ever again, nor do I want to see you again. The same counts for Kate. If I hear you have been in contact with her again, I will make you regret it. Stay away from her." She stated, her voice almost as sweet as her smile but she was dead serious.

It wasn't hard to realize for him that she meant what she had just said. If the fast delivery of such an amount of money and the aura around her weren't indicator enough. He nodded and left again without another word.

Helen did the same a good minute later, getting back to the Sanctuary.

* * *

When the heavy door opened, Kate jumped up from the couch, putting her phone back into her pocket. She had just gotten another text from Jake telling her the debt was paid off and she was off the hook.

"Doc.!"

"Kate. Have you been waiting for me?"

"Ah, yes, actually."

"Why is that?"

"I wanted to talk to you about something but I don't need to any more. The issue kinda solved itself."

Helen smiled at her and they walked together for a while, Kate thinking about everything again and she wondered if this was Magnus' doing once more. She wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. They parted when Helen left for her office and Kate walked to her room again, still confused. But she'd take it, whatever it was. She would never have gotten the money together on her own in such a short time and she might not have lived a day longer than her deadline that way. Someone had been looking over her with this and she was very glad for it.


End file.
